Topic: Time Warner DTMF issue

[Keighlar]

I am embroiled in a finger-pointing mess that I hope maybe someone can offer some insight into.

PBX:  Iwatsu ECS with an ESNA Voicemail server
Lines:  TW "POTs" lines coming in off a modem
Background:  This is a campus where three branches are networked together to act as one system.  The system has been installed for about 8 years and has just recently been upgraded.  The only major change is that the voicemail ports now communicate over SIP instead of analog signaling. All calls are answered by the Auto Attendant.

Issue:  Call comes into the auto attendant.  The caller attempts to direct dial an extension, but intermittently (and often) an incoming digit is doubled.  For example, if I dial 2218, extension 2221 is called.

ESNA Voicemail server troubleshooting:  Wireshark capture shows that the AA is receiving the incorrect digits.  It is not creating them.

Iwatsu ECS troubleshooting:  The manufacturer states that the PBX is simply a pass-through device and it does not modify the DTMF at all. They suggest using a digit grabber to show that the incorrect digits are received from the carrier, but we do not have one.

Time Warner Response:  Unfortunately we will not be able to see the extensions that are being dialed once the call is answered. Once it is answered it is seen as media streaming and we will treat it like a poor audio issue. If techs are not finding any signal issues to the modem problem will be in the PBX side...I can tell you that once the call is connected the DTMF tones are nothing more than sound over the media stream of the call, our phone switch would not interact with the tones at all, as it does not see them as tones, but rather a data stream.

They're asking me what other troubleshooting they should do.  I'm primarily a programmer - not a field technician and I'm starting to pull out my hair.  Any advice?

[NFCphoneman]

As you know, I know nothing about Iwatsu, but I've encountered a similar problem on our E-LG products with SIP trunking.  We have a setting that cures it called "Ignore Inband DTMF".  Not sure if you have something similar or not.

I'm sure you've probably already verified your DTMF settings match between the voice-mail system and the phone system?

[Keighlar]

Thank you.  I have verified the DTMF settings, yes. I use the same feature for SIP trunking in our in-house system, but these are using POTs lines and I don't see any setting like that.

[bmreen]

It sounds like the only option I see is a digit grabber and prove to TW that the digits coming from them are incorrect. But this brings me to a problem that we had on Samsung AA one time. We finally isolated ours down to a specific cell carrier (Sprint I think) that we only saw the problem coming from. So after 6 months of explaining to every Sprint tech we talked to they finally came back and said they had to replace some hardware in Jacksonville, FL but the problem site was in Bunnell, FL about an hour south of Jacksonville. This is why we couldn't fix it while we were onsite because our company cell carrier was T-Mobile at the time. IDK if yours can be traced back to the calling carrier or not. Good luck!!

[Keighlar]

Thanks guys.  I did some additional testing today.  As I said, this is a three-site campus, so I called all 17 lines (12 at the main, 3 at the secondary and 2 at the tertiary).  Failures on the main site occurred within three calls for every line.  There were NO FAILURES at any of the other sites after 10 calls to each line.  To me, this irrevocably points to the lines a the main site.  I've forwarded this information to TW and I'm waiting to see what smoke screen they'll throw up next.

[JWRacedog]

We have had this happen with some new Arris modem Docsis 3 units that were replacing some older units.  The LEC was Comcast. The problem was with OUTGOING calls from our IP system---using the Comcast analog lines from the Arris cable modem.

 After many hours of troubleshooting, I think our tech (Brayton) fooled around with the DTMF digit length of the Allworx 6x.  I think he may have elongated the time, but I'm not sure of the details.  That was 4 months ago or so, and it seems to have solved the problem.  

All of our troubleshooting pointed to the Arris modem, because all of the digits were leaving the 6x just fine....but as we found out, the Arris was set to receive a much longer DTMF tone rather than a standard length.  Comcast had no way (they said) to regulate the reception at all.  It is what it is....so you and the customer have to change YOUR settings to make it work.  What a deal.

[Keighlar]

It is what it is....so you and the customer have to change YOUR settings to make it work.  What a deal.

I hope that's not the case here, because that's liable to break the other two locations which are working just fine.

[STSE]

Correct me if i am wrong please. Did you find the answer to your problem to
be title of your heading "Time Warner" ?

I think this problem is with most VOIP carriers.

You have to take them by the hand and show them what to do.
They can change the programming of the ATA.

I dont know shit about this new stuff, but i do play with VOIP, or what ever you want to call it.

Its just a hobby for me, as i will not get involved with the untraind jerks.

It seems a issue with DTMF, thus i would make them gol into programming of their ATA or whatever they call the hand off device to you Ksu.

Yes,its a problem with most such devices.... with SIP.

Have them adjust DTMF set up.

Most ATA-s have 3 or 4 settings to adjust DTMF processing.

Example: Out of Band: SIP: RFC2833 : Auto and Etc....

This is a guess of what is going on, please tell me if im wrong and i will shut up.

TJ

[Keighlar]

The issue hasn't been resolved. TW is saying they cannot get into the ATAs... someone else does that.   I was getting bloody from banging my head against the wall, so right now we are looking to move to a PRI.  They have 17 POTs lines between the three sites, so this will allow us to drop 14 of them.  The lines that are provided through Cornerstone have no DTMF issues, but TW still refuses to accept responsibility.

[ttech]

I have a digit grabber you can borrow.